


Croí

by BrochaninWords



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Peter Parker, Worried Peter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 07:25:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14612730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrochaninWords/pseuds/BrochaninWords
Summary: "He should have been there to protect her, he should have known something was wrong, he had sensed that something had been off, but he had been too stupid..."May is attacked in the apartment, and is left in a coma. Peter waits for her to wake up.





	Croí

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story I've posted on here, so feedback is appreciated and EEEEEEEEEEAAhhKK! This one is somewhat short. *Puts toes in proverbial water*
> 
> Warnings: Brief mention of attempted rape. Nothing graphic, and nothing specifically addressed.

He'd only agreed because he was lonely. And now, he was feeling even lonelier than before. Ned was sick with the flu, and between the pained groans and miserable gags that Peter had heard over the phone, he thought he might have heard ‘not going’ and ‘sleeping forever’. He could relate to both those things. Uncrossing his legs, the teen stood off the bland, speckled brown carpet, shrugging his shoulders until the material of his hoodie rested comfortable over his shoulders. “Hey, I’m gonna head home.” He didn’t much feel like sitting there talking about school. He felt more like crying; which was something that he was definitely never, *never* going to do in front of people from school.  
Michelle looked up, characteristically rolling her shoulders forward, her poorly contained curls haloing her pretty face—but he didn’t think she was pretty, well, yes, he did, but not really like he’d thought with Liz, he just thought that she was a pretty friend—and smirked, saying, “aw, you’re poker face was terrible. Made it easy to win.” There was something underlying in her tone, or in the way that her eyes softened, that made him wonder what exactly she was thinking. He didn’t care enough to figure it out.  
His pride did take a hit at the jest, but he couldn’t think of a decent retort that would sound half-intelligent. So, he didn’t bother.  
Forcing a smile that was betrayed by the descent of his eyebrows, he held up a hand in a wave and murmured, “bye, MJ.”

“Hmh. Bye.”

He waved to the other two people—he didn’t know them, and though they’d been introduced, he didn’t remember their names. Actually, the girl’s name was Cindy, but the other, he couldn’t remember. They waved in response and he left the restaurant, his mood lifting as soon as the cold air hit his face.  
He knew that he had told Mr. Stark that he wouldn’t be doing any… nightly escapades after what had happened, and he had agreed, but he didn’t want to go home, and... It was hard to go home these days, considering that May wasn’t even there. No, instead, she was at the hospital. In a coma. Peter hugged himself and shivered against the bitter winter night. May. She’d been beaten half to death in their own apartment by some… some thug who wanted a good time. Even the thought of it made his stomach clench anger. He had been playing video games and Ned’s house—but he should have been there to protect her, he should have known something was wrong, he had sensed that something had been off but he had been too stupid and he…

Oh. The look on May’s face when she’d seen him come through the door. Even the thought sent images spiraling to the forefront of his mind, making his heart pound inside his chest,

** AVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERS

Wide eyes met his as soon as he stepped through the door. There was a man in a black mask—he was undoing his belt. May’s face was covered in bruises. There was a plate smashed on the floor. From the blood rushing down his aunt’s face—he didn’t know how she was still conscious.

Peter’s horror made his muscles freeze—Spiderman’s anger, on the other hand, pushed him into motion.  
He crossed the distance and his fist met flesh, over and over and over again.

**AVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERS

The ding of his phone made him jump. It had been a week since then. He reached into his pocket, holding the cell in a shaking hand.

MJ: Hope you’re OK, dipsh*t

She always had an eloquent way with words. He wanted to smile at her concern, though, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t smile at anything, in fact. The next thoughts to come through his mind were ‘I need to get back to the hospital’, he needed to be there when she woke up, and what if something else happened? He should never have left in the first place. Cursing himself he broke into a jog. The pressure of metal hidden on his wrists beneath sleeves was a much-needed comfort, as was the fact that Tony Stark—Tony Freaking Stark, Ironman—said he would make *sure* that nothing happened to Aunt May. Peter trusted him more than anyone.

Other than May.

And Ned.

And Michelle, he guessed. Okay, so there were a few people, but…

The trip to the hospital was only a three mile run from the restaurant, and he wondered if Michelle had known that when she’d chosen it. Of course she had. That was who she was—silently considerate, verbally not-so-much. Stepping inside the building, Peter let his shoulders hunch forward and tried not to let the powerful scent of the hospital push memories into the forefront of his mind. Lavender and chemicals and blood…

** AVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERS

“Help! Please! Oh, gah--…”

Flashes of scrubs and a gurney and red, so much red, on his hands and his clothes and there was an officer talking to him, but he couldn’t answer, he was tripping over his tongue and when he finally managed to speak it was thick with tears and as soft as the whisper of frightened child,

“I’need’t talk…Mr. Stark. N’d to call Mr. Stark. He’ll know what to do. *Please*.”

“Alright, son, we’re just gonna…”

He blacked out—couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear, couldn’t think until a phone was pressed against his ear and he heard his father figure’s voice crackling through,

“…Kid? Talk to me, Pete. Police told me what’s going on and I’m coming—Happy says hey, if you can believe it. I have an attorney on speed dial—don’t ask—and she’s going to work through the legalistic BS, so you don’t have to worry about that. Just take care of your aunt. And yourself.”

“Mr. Stark, I…She’s all I have left Mr. Stark I--” Tears choked out his words; the fact that he was trying so hard to keep from crying was painfully obvious from his voice.

“Everything’s going to be fine. You did really well, kid. I’m proud of you. And I’m here for you. I want you to stay on the phone until I’m there, do you understand?”

Peter gulped in a panicked breath.

“Peter!”

“Y-yes.”

**AVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERS

He jerked out of the flashback and hurried towards the room, feeling sicker with dread the closer he got. What if something had happened? What if she had flatlined? What if she had woken up? What if she thought he’d left her there? What if she was alone?

By the time he burst through the door, he was on the verge of a full-fledged panic attack, but he was met only by the sounds of a mechanical beep-whoosh, beep-whoosh. He deflated and rushed to her side, ungracefully falling into the same plastic chair that he had spent most of his days in the past week. The blue, purple, green, and yellow bruising that covered her face and torso was a horrific reminder that this wasn’t just a nightmare and he couldn’t wake up from it. Almost pleadingly, his hands sought out one of hers. He wanted her to know he was back; he also had no idea what words would even suffice in this situation. “I’m sorry, Aunt May. I’m… sorry.”

The hairs on his arms stood on end, and a chill ran down his spine.

He wasn’t alone—someone else was in the room.

A bulky shadow of a person stood near the tiny hospital bathroom. Peter nimbly flipped over the bed and landed protectively in front of May, dropping into a crouch, web-shooters lifted.

“Whoa kid.” It wasn’t Tony—the voice was too deep, but it was still familiar. The figure held up his hands. “Are you Peter?”

They stepped out of the shadows.

Captain America. Captain *America*, who he had fought at the airport, who he had gone up against and had stolen his shield and now there he was watching over his aunt while Peter, stupid Peter, he cursed himself, was out with friends playing fake poker and this war hero was making sure that his aunt was safe even after the airport and…

Peter commended himself for keeping the wetness in his eyes, IN his eyes. “Cap-Captain.”

Captain America smiled kindly. “Tony asked me come.”

“Waih—you don’t know me and with the--you’re—that’s really nice, that’s really super nice and I—oh, wow.” Peter felt his face warm, “I—I’m sorry about the, you know. Shield and stuff.”

The captain laughed and stepped in front of the teenager, his arms crossed. Peter took note of the jeans and T-shirt that seemed so uncharacteristically… normal. “Don’t worry about that. I’m glad Tony called me. Surprised, but glad. I’ll be leaving as tomorrow.”

“Wi—will—did you get to—to talk to Mr. Stark?”

A look of devastation flashed across the older—old, really—man’s face, and it was enough to make Peter want to sink under the floor boards. He opened his mouth to take back his words when Steve spoke, “no. He doesn’t want to see me.”

Parker nodded mutely, and Captain America clapped him on the shoulder. “Tony’s proud of you; I can tell. And you don’t know me, kid, but frankly; so am I. You’re a hero.”

Peter felt the first genuine smile he’d felt in a week pull at his lips. “Wow. Thank you.”

“I know she’ll pull through.”

The actual Captain America was there, and saying those things to him, and it made… it made him feel better. Finally. Like he might be able to take a breath again. He wondered, though, why Tony trusted the man so much despite the bitter anger they held towards each other. It was good, and maybe it was a step in the right direction.

Feeling more like himself, the fifteen-year-old sat down at his post again, pulling May’s hand up to his lips and kissing the purpled skin. Apparently, Steve took the action as a silent request for him to exit the room, because that was exactly what he did. Peter stared in awe for a moment at the muscular centurion guarding the entrance. It was a comfort. May was safe. She had Spiderman, Ironman, and Captain America to make sure of that.

It was then that he let his eyelids shut, and for the first time in far too many hours, he slipped into a slumber that wasn’t accompanied by night terrors.

AVENGERSAGENVERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERS

A soft snore from inside the small room made Rogers peer over his shoulder, catching sight of brown locks pillowed on May’s stomach. A smile graced his features. A message vibrated his phone, and he flipped it open to check the screen—

Tony: I’m done at the station. I’ll be there in ten. Please be gone.

Steve felt both a pang of loss and a flutter of nostalgia.

Steve: I will be. He’s a good kid, Tony.

….

Tony: He is.

Tony: Thanks, Spangles.

Steve: Of course.

***AVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERSAVENGERS

“…Hey, Baby.”

Peter moaned gently. “Mmm…too t’red for school May…”

May. Aunt May. The attack. Stark. Captain America. Peter shot up, wide brown eyes searching for May’s. She was awake! He nearly jumped out of his chair right then and there to let out a cry of happiness. He did, in fact, lift out of the chair, but promptly forced himself to sit back down. A grin spread over his face as he looked into her eyes for the first time in what felt like years. “Hey May!” His heart was soaring.

She ran a hand sluggishly up and down his forearm. He hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed her. Cautiously, he leaned forward and hugged her, burying his face in her shoulder. She was going to be okay.

When a sob tore out of his throat, he almost didn’t realize it had happened, not until May soothed,

“Aaaw, shhh, it’s okay baby.”

Her long nails brushed through his hair. Tears streaked down his cheeks, seemingly with no end in sight. And once he started, he couldn’t seem to gather himself back together. Everything he’d tired so hard to hold back up until then was coming out of his eyes.

“It’s gonna be okay,” May’s voice was thick and hoarse. Almost as if she were trying to convince herself, too. The sound shook him to his core. He held her tighter.

“I love you,” he mumbled into her neck, gasping around another sob that he refused to free.

“I love you too, baby, I love you too.” Her voice was already becoming sleepy, no doubt from the drugs they’d pumped her full of to disguise the pain, “thank you for being here when I woke up.”

He let out a high-pitched laugh, “woken up a little sooner and you could’ve met Captain America.”

“Mm… Shame. Beautiful man…”

Peter laughed again. “Missed you…” His words were lost on her as she fell back into a peaceful sleep, her chest rising and falling evenly.

She was safe, just a little banged up.

If what had happened to Ben hadn’t been enough, this solidified it; if he could stop people from having to suffer, he would risk his life. He had too, now matter how much it scared him. Spiderman was the best thing that could have happened to him; aside from Aunt May.

And Mr. Stark.

And Ned.

And Michelle, he guessed.

His phone beeped.

Unknown number: It’s Steve Rogers. Buck wants to say he’ll buy you a drink when you’re old enough.

Peter grinned into a closed fist.


End file.
